Coat and hat hanger.



PATNNT N MAR. 21, 1905. HILL.

GOAT AND HAT HANGER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1903. RENEWED FEB. 13, 1905.

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x PATENTBD MAR. 21, 1905. W. GLENN & A. 'D'. HILL. GOAT AND HAT HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. so. 1903. RENEWED EEB. 13.1w.

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V j nfors Q Ca? a W? NITED STATES Patented March 21, 1905. i

PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM GLENN, OF MOUNT VERNON, AND ADELBERT D. HILL, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA; SAID GLENN ASSIGNOR TO SAID HILL.

COAT AND HAT HANGER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 785,305, dated March 21, 1905.

Application filed March 30, 1903. Renewed February 13, 1905. Serial No. 245,898.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM GLENN, residing at Mount Vernon, and ADELBERT D. HILL,

residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa,citizens of the United States,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coat and Hat Hangers, of

'which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hangers used in hotels, barber-shops, and other public places by means of which hats and coats are securely locked in position and can only be removed by the person holding the key.

Thenature of the invention will fully appear from the description and claims followlowing, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of adevice embodying our invention with the lock-cap removed. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a staggered arrangement of hat-lockers. Fig. 4 shows details of the lock. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing modifications in the construction of the coatgrip. Fig. 6 is one of the spring-retaining washers used therein. Fig. 7 is a section of the hat-grip. Fig. 8 is one of the washers therefor. Fig. 9 is a key, and Fig. 10 a locktumbler to register therewith.

In the drawings, A denotes a bracket adapted to be secured to cleats B or to a wall. In practice it is usual to connect a number of such brackets in sets to said cleats for convenience in handling and in attachment to the wall. At the top of the brackets so arranged in a row is a rail O, on which rests the middle portion of the hat. Somewhat lower and forward of this rail is another rail, D, to support the lower and outer side of the hat-crown. This rail is secured to upcurved arms A of the brackets, which leave room above and back of them for the hat-brim. Near the bottom of the bracket is a T-headed coat-hanger E, with room above and about it for adjacent portion of the coat. Below this is the coatgrip, which will be more particularly described hereinafter. Below the outer hat-rail is a lock adapted to secure in closed position a lever F, whose upper end grips the hatcrown and lower end the coat below the collar. 5

In practice a flat-topped lower hat-rail is preferred. On this rests one side of the hatcrown, and the'grip G at the upper end of the curved lever F swings inside the hat-crown and closes down on the material thereof tightly 5 5 enough to prevent the hat being pulled out, but not so tightly asto mar the hat-crown. The nature of the grip itself is illustrated in Fig. 7.

G is a cup of soft rubber or the likeyield- 6O ing material furnished with a marginal bead or enlargement G the rest of the material being comparatively thin and pliable. This cup is held in place on the terminal stem F of the lever by a metal cup G and washers Gr and 5 i The former washer is simply for the purpose of preventing the rubber cup from being twisted or distorted by turning the outer washer G which is provided with cam-faces G, engaging lateral lugs F on the stem of 7 the lever, a notch in the cam serving to hold the washer from turning when once in proper position. The back face of the metal cup abuts on a shoulder F. This construction admits of the parts being very easily and cheaply 7 5 made and quickly assembled. The parts are strung on the stem in the order shown, the cam-washer last, and all are locked in place by simply turning this washer to the position shown in Fig. 7. By reference to Fig. 8 it will be seen that this washer has lateral notches G to allow it to slip over the lugs It will be seen that the stem F terminates a short distance from the rail D, leaving room enough for a thickness of any sort of hat or 8 5 cap crown material. Provision is made to allow the elastic tip to yield backwardly for the same purpose, and so, also, that fine hats may not be marred by undue pressure; but though held lightly the hat is securely locked 9 in position, since a movement of it in any direction folds one edge of the elastic cup under in the manner indicated by the dotted lines, and the bead wedges the thickness of hat material tightly between the rail and the end of the lever-stem. A somewhat similar grip is provided for the coat; but in this case practically all the pressure in any case depends upon an attempt to forcibly remove the coat. At the lower end of the lever F is a cup or concave ring F*, forming a part of the lever. Opposite this is a convexidisk, with ball-and-socket connection withthe bracket A. This allows the disk to rock freely a limited distance in any direction. The center of the ball is set forward of the geometric center of the convex disk, and consequently as the disk rocks in any direction one edge moves toward the lever-ring. The convex side of the disk is faced with some soft and slightly-clinging material, such as soft rubber. It is evident now that on any attempt to remove a garment from the hanger above the disk will be drawn to a position to pinch the material tightly between it and the lever-ring. Normally the gravity of the disk brings its upper face in contact with the material of the garment, so that an effort to draw the garment down and out would be instantly resisted; but the action, though not so quick, is the same in any direction, and a handkerchief is held as elfectually as a beaver overcoat. In the simpler form shown in Fig. 1 there need be no pressure at all on the garment normally, the parts being somewhat separated even when in holding position. This admits of garments of any thickness being locked against forcible removal, but without the pinching and permanent marring of thick material when subjected to the positive and direct pressure necessary to hold thin material.

Back of the disk is a cup-like shield H to prevent access to the disk when the parts are in locking position.

In Fig. 5 is shown a grip adapted for materials varying abnormally in thickness. In this the ball-stem I is provided with a flange I to take a light spring J, whose ofiice is simply to press the disk up against the garment with just enough tension tocause the grip to act instantly in all directions in case of an attempt to withdraw it. This spring bears against a cupped washer K, through which the stem passes, and on full compression of the light spring the flange 1 comes in contact with the washer. Back of the washer is a strong spring L, adapted to give back under hard pressure in case anabnormally thick overcoat or the-like intervenes. The rear end of this spring rests against the back (bottom) of the shield-cup, which has a hole in it like that in the washer, Fig. 8, to allow the end of the stem, which has lateral lugs 1 to pass through. The cup is also slotted at H, and through these slots extend projections A of the bracket. These have terminal shoulders A to hold the washer K in position and are notched at A to allow the washer to be put in place. The form of the washer is shown in Fig. 6. A pair 'of lateral lugs each side straddles the bracket projection between the terminal lug and the notch, and for convenience in assembling one of each pair of lugs may be longer than the other, so that the washer can only be turned a certain distance, as will be presently explained.

The parts are assembled as follows: The shield is first placed in position, then the heavy spring, and next the cupped washer, which is pressed back far enough so that the shorter of its lugs will pass through the notches A. It is then turned in the direction indicated by the arrow until the longer lugs strike the sides of the bracket projections, and the pressure being relieved the washer snaps back into final position, as shown. This of course holds the washer, shield, and spring all in proper place. The ball-stem, with the disk previously attached, is then thrust through the light spring, previously seated, and thence through the washer K, strong spring, and notched hole in the back of the shield, and through a hole A in the bracket, is turned a quarter-turn or so, thus locking these parts in position.

A simple means of fastening the disk on the ball is shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and consists in snapping an open ring M in agroove M, formed in the hub of the disk M. This obviates drilling or other machine-work, which in the construction of this device we have sought to eliminate as far as possible.

The central hub F of the lever F is pivoted in a suitable housing A, forming a part of the bracket. Forward of this is the housing for the lock A nearly circular. The other half of both housings forms a single cap Z and is fastened to the bracket by ascrew (not shown) through the hole A. A stop-shoulder A limits the closing movement of the lever. The sides of the housings at the top are grooved at A to form guideways for a flat key N, entering a slot at the junction of the housing and the front hat-rail arm. From the front side 'of the lever-hub springs a wing F extending nearly to the center of the larger part of the housing. Central .to this circle is mounted the lock-tumbler O, the hub of which is partly cut away at O to allow the wing to pass when in position therefor. From the hub on the other side springs a lug O and in a tangent line therefrom is a stud 0", both in contact with a spring P when the tumbler is in locking position. The wards of the tumbler are in the nature of diverseshaped projections from the periphery and register with similar holes in the key in the same manner as do a rack and pinion. stop-stud A limits the movement of the tum-' hler in the final locking position. The lock- As soon as its upper angle passes the lower angle of the tumbler, however, the spring, acting on the stud moves it to the position shown. The lever is now locked, and the withdrawal of the key rocks the tumbler back without otherwise affecting its locked position. To unlock,

it is only necessary to push the key in as far as it will go, when the lock-lever moves out of locking position by gravity. The key remains in the lock and cannot be withdrawn except by returning the lever to the locking position. The user of the locker is thus assured that his garments are secure whenever it is possible for him to withdraw the key.

Attention is directed to the fact that the coat-grip is below the hanger-hook therefor and independent of it. This makes it possible to provide a grip which does not press or pinch the garment except on an attempt to forcibly remove it, as above setforth.

The device is adapted for either coats alone, hats alone, or both. In case of the latter use alternate coat-levers may be lengthened, as shown in Fig. 3, so that coats may hang in a single line, or practically so, and hats may be in staggered positions with a View to occupying less space laterally. For coats alone all of the apparatus above the lock may be dispensed with. For hats alone all below the lock except enough of the-locklever to form a hand-lever. I

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a locker, the combination with leversupport, hat supporting rails and locking mechanism, substantially as described, of a pivoted lock-lever terminating near the lower rail, when in locked position, and a tip therefor of flexible material adapted to retain the hat without pinching it, but to fold under the end of the lever and grip the hat on an attempt to remove the same.

2. In a locker, the combination with leversupport, hat supporting rails and locking mechanism, substantially as described, of a pivoted lever terminating near the lower rail, when in locked position, and provided with an annular tip of flexible material adapted to fold between the lever end and the hat and grip the same, on an attempt to forcibly remove it.

3. In a locker, the combination with leversupport, hat supporting rails and locking mechanism, substantially as described, of apivoted lock-lever terminating in final position near the lower hat-rail, a cup-like tip therefor of flexible material, and with a bead or enlargement adapted to wedge between the end of the lever and the hat on an attempt to remove the latter.

4:. In a locker, the combination with suitable lever-support, hat-supports and locking mechanism, of a pivoted lock-lever provided with a cup-like flexible tip mounted near its end, and an inclosing metal case therefor, terminating a little short of the edge of the tip.

5. In a coat-hanger, the combination with a hanger-hook and locking mechanism, of a lock-lever adapted to engage one side of the coat, a gripper set opposite thereto and adapted to rock on a fixed center of motion universally, and a facing of yielding and somewhat clinging material on its coatward face, substantially'as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a coat-locker, the combination with suitable locking mechanism, of a lock-lever terminating in an annular gripping-face, and a convex-faced disk mounted by ball-andsocket joint opposite thereto, and adapted to grip material between them when moved in any direction.

material may be admitted, as specified.

8. In a coat-locker, the combination of a hanger, a locklever, and suitable locking mechanism, and a gripper pivotally mounted to engage the opposite side of the material and pinch it tightly against the lever, if tampered with, a movable support for said gripper,'and a light spring to hold the gripper with soft contact against the material and secure quick gripping contact.

9. In a coat-locker, the combination of a hanger, a lock-lever, and suitable locking mechanism, and a gripper pivoted to coact with the lever if the coat is tampered with, a movable support for the gripper, a strong spring adapted to yield under extraordinary pressure, a spring adapted to hold the gripper lightly in contact with the interposed material, and independent connections of said spring with the gripper, whereby the action of either is not affected by the other.

10. In a coat-hanger, the combination with a lock-lever, of a gripper comprising a gripping-disk mounted by ball and socket on a movable spindle, a flange on said spindle, a light spring back of the flange, a sliding washer mounted loosely on thespindle, a support for said spindle and washer-adapted to WILLIAM GLENN. ADELBERT D. HILL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM FINN, J. M. ST. JOHN. 

